Ask the master gardeners: Mow down Sandy's leftover leaves

Nov. 16, 2012

Q: I usually mow leaves into my lawn every fall, but with the recent storm I have many more leaves than usual. Can I still mow them into my lawn?

A: Yes, you may mow quite a lot of leaves into the lawn as long as they are chopped finely. But there are other ways to handle excess leaves and not only keep them on your property but also return their benefits back to nature.

If you’re already practicing “leaf-mulching-in-place,” then you’re aware that chopping up leaves with your mower, then letting the bits disappear between the grass blades, is the fastest and most efficient way to handle fall leaves.

The chopped leaves decompose right into the soil, adding organic matter. Higher levels of organic matter in soil can help your lawn better tolerate stressful conditions. Not only is this a big time saver, it also cuts down on the use of leaf blowers (requiring fuel and making noise) and eases the hard work for those who rake their yards the old-fashioned way.

If nature has dumped an extraordinary amount of leaves all at once, more than you think your lawn can handle, you can:

• Put them in your compost pile along with grass clippings, shrub trimmings, weeds (without seeds or seed pods) and kitchen scraps (no meat, dairy or oils). If your bin or pile includes kitchen scraps, be sure to cover it so that food scraps don’t attract unwanted rodents or raccoons. Composting can be as simple as a free-forming pile of layers of carbon-rich materials, also called “browns,” and nitrogen-rich materials, or “greens,” or you can use various types of containers or bins. While the mix of “browns” and “greens” can make a difference in how fast the material decomposes and there are certain rules of thumb to follow, it’s also a matter of experimentation. For details about composting, check out http://cwmi.css.cornell.edu/compostbrochure.pdf.

• Make leaf mulch by piling just leaves in a bin or covered pile. They will decompose faster if they are chopped. You can do this by running over them with a mulching mower, using a leaf shredder or putting them into a large heavy duty plastic garbage can and use a stringer trimmer to chop them into bits before making a pile. (Be sure to use protection for your eyes.) Once the leaves are chopped, an easy way to contain them is to make a tall round “cage” out of wire fencing. If you have bare dirt areas, you can also place a few inches directly on the dirt areas where they will break down by spring and enrich the soil. You will be amazed at how a huge pile of leaves can be reduced, generally by a factor of 10.

• Rake or blow them onto any wooded areas on your property.

Once you handle your fall leaves this way, you will wish you had even more leaves to help nourish your garden. For additional information on leaf-mulching-in-place, consult your county’s Cornell Cooperative Extension.